


The Dragon Hunt

by gtwgtc



Category: The Heralder Saga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:14:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gtwgtc/pseuds/gtwgtc
Summary: Three things: girl, a dream, and a dragon. Throw in a ragtag menagerie to make four, and you have a nice posse to roll with. Come on, snake, let's rattle!





	1. Library

It had been a long night of searching. I’d been searching this library for ages, from the ancient scrolls in their nooks to the newly-written books, and yet I couldn’t find it. I _knew_ what I was looking for— I simply couldn’t find it here.  
  
An old woman came up behind me; I couldn’t see her face, but I knew who it was from the sound of her. Ms. Gardeen came to my side, holding a steaming teacup. “Leah, sweetheart, are you all right? The sun’s rising. You should sleep soon. It’s not good for younglings like you to stay awake all night."

I managed to contain my disdain at being called Leah as I turned to her. “Yes, ma’am, I’m fine. I’m still looking for what I need. Thank you for your hospitality.”  
  
“Oh, don’t you worry about it, dearie. I’m used to fussing over children.” She laughed her signature sweet old-lady laugh, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, myself. Her comment reminded me of the sons and daughters she always spoke of— how they were all out in the world, some even protecting it as we knew it. “Here,” she went on, “I brought you some tea, just the way you like it— extra honey and sugar.”  
  
She passed the teacup to me, watching as I brought it to my lips. Through the pain of the scalding drink, I made out the rich flavor of exotic honey and sweet sugar. “Thank you, ma’am. Somehow, you always make tea the best.” I sat the teacup down with its saucer, careful not to spill it, and turned back to the many books I had assembled. “I’m almost done with my research, so I’ll be heading home soon. Is there anything I can do to help around here?”  
  
“Oh, no, no, no, don’t worry yourself with that, sweetheart. It’s so kind of you to offer, but I’m the librarian— it’s my job to take care of this place.” Ms. Gardeen smiled, like she always did to reassure me that everything was all right. “I’m off to go tend the flowers out back. You stay as long as you like. Enjoy the tea!” She turned and went off, weaving through the bookshelves lining the floor. Through the large window at the back wall, I could see her pulling on thick brown gloves.  
  
I watched her for a few moments, then let my eyes wander around the library. Though I knew this place well, I felt my gaze wandering erratically. The shelves covering the floor only came to about hip height, but they were filled with books thick and thin, along with the walls. The higher shelves contained older tomes that would be harder for little children to grab. The walls were painted a pastel pink, which complimented the rich brown of the shelves and the frames of the windows. The tables along the room, like the one I sat at, were rich and polished wood, with sets of chairs to match.  
  
I sighed and sat back in my chair, feeling the wood dig into my back. I looked along the piles of books I had gathered on the table that now covered its surface. They were books on the old days— before the East and the West had become separate, before the Guard had killed off all the dragons, before even magic had become restricted. It was strange to reimagine the world and think of it like the world today— it had already changed so much, even in just three centuries.  
  
There was one thing I was looking for, though, and it wasn’t the history of the last 300 years. The dragon. According to the dream I’d had last night, he was a dragon of good, and yet the Guard killed him, under the King’s orders. I couldn’t find him in any of the books I’d read in this library. It was to be expected.  
  
Though the King was only supposed to rule the East after the War of Separation, some small bits of his power slipped into the West. It was like the last tendrils of his old power slipping into his old realm. Nowadays, the queens ruled us, and the King ruled the other side of the Skyteeth Mountains.  
  
More and more light shone through the windows at my right. They illuminated my books, highlighting the black ink staining the pages, the deep black becoming shimmery and warm as the light hit it. The clouds outside were painted pink, like the walls inside and the roses that Ms. Gardeen tended outside. The fountain babbling in the center of the pavilion was the same brilliant blue as the sky.  
  
Eventually, I had finished my tea, along with all the books at my table. None of them helped me to find more about the dragon. The sun was high over the mountaintops in the east by the time I had finished, and people were starting to trickle into the library. Some chatted with Ms. Gardeen after she came back inside, some with each other; some studied books and brought them to her to check out. One girl stood out to me for some reason; her blonde hair caught the sunlight in just the right way to remind me of the dragon… or perhaps I was just daydreaming. I was only hoping to find a glimpse of the dragon in the world around me. I shook my head, hard enough that my own hair brushed my faced, and began to pack up the books.  
  
 _The Legends of Wholeness: Great Wyrms and Beasts of the Old World. The Tales of the Times Before Kings._ I read over the titles once again as I put each book back where I’d found it. I began to put a thinner one in its place— _The Guard Against the Mountain Dragons—_ and I felt the weight of the books in my arm slip. My heart sped up as I fumbled to secure them again, though they were tilting too awkwardly for me to catch them—  
  
I felt the books move once more, their weight shifting again. Gently, I set the now-balanced stack at my side, unsure of who had just helped me, and peered up to see who it was. Though I’d expected it to be one of the people my age, I didn’t expect it to be someone so familiar. The freckles dotting his cheeks and nose crinkled into crescents as he grinned at me. “Always reading, eh, Lee?”  
  
“Shut up.” I stood and punched him lightly in the shoulder— _Were you always this tall?_ — and picked up the stack of books. “What are you doing here today, Luke?”  
  
“Oh, you know. Just… looking for books. Which is what you do in a library.” His gaze wandered, looking around the place. If I followed it, I saw him staring at a woman who looked like him, though older— more mature. _Are they related?_ “What about you?” He asked, breaking me out of my trance. “Been up all night or something? You’re never up this early.”  
  
“Uh… yeah, I have.” As if on cue, I felt a yawn coming, and I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to suppress it. “Ms. Gardeen has been watching me, I guess. I just wanted to find a book on— on something.” _I shouldn’t tell you just yet what it’s about. If you find out it’s another one of my dreams, you’ll just tell me they aren’t real.  
  
_ “And what is this something?” Luke stepped in front of me as I tried to walk away, a mischievous grin on his face. “I have a feeling that you are hiding something, Lee.”  
  
“I’m not hiding anything!” I retorted. My heart was starting to pound in my chest again. _How do you always know what I’m thinking?_ “I’m just— I’m tired, all right? I’ll tell you later.”  
  
“You’ll tell me now.” Luke stepped closer; I felt my heart sink into my stomach. “Or else…” He ruffled his hand through my hair, _knowing_ I hated that, and I tried to bat him back, hoping he’d stop.  
  
“All right, all right, I’ll tell you! By the queens…” I shuffled the books in my arms and stepped around him, tipping my head to indicate he should follow me. “It’s about a dream I had last night.”  
  
“Oh? One of those weird ones?”  
  
“ _Luke._ They’re not just weird dreams. They tell the future. We’ve talked about this.” _I hate how you call them weird. You know I don’t like it._ I lowered my voice, hoping nobody around us would even be listening. “And this one was about a dragon.”  
  
Luke paused for a moment, his expression blank. It was as though he had frozen for a moment. He spoke a moment later, also hushing his voice. “What kind of dragon? You know those haven’t been around since before the War.”  
  
“He looked like one of those things from the East— the spotted cat that’s black sometimes?”  
  
“The leopards?”  
  
“Yes, he was bright yellow, just like them, and he had spots all over him too. And he had wings like an eagle, just absolutely beautiful, and his talons were like a fox’s. And his face— he looked as though he had a piece of topaz in his skull just above his eyes. And his eyes were the same shade of that strange orange-brown.” I paused for a moment, a soft sigh escaping me as I recalled the dragon. “He was beautiful.”  
  
Luke paused again. “You know, I have a feeling you didn’t find him in any of your little books here.”  
  
“Of course not.” I put another one in its place on the bookshelf. “This is Anashad— we’re about as close to the East as you can get without getting into the Skyteeth. The queens don’t have real power here. The King still hates dragons, even after all this time.”  
  
“Well, that much is obvious. So…” Luke spoke even lower now, his voice hardly a whisper. “Have you ever considered… leaving?”  
  
“Leaving? Well, of course. I have to go home sometime.”  
  
“No, I mean… _leaving._ You know, going away?”  
  
I stared at Luke for a few long seconds. After a moment, I finally understood what he was saying. “Luke. You actually think— I’m _not_ — I can’t. I have a family. Mother would be worried sick. I have a life here, too. I _can’t._ ”  
  
“Of course you can. Look at my dad, huh? He left his hometown and came around here in one piece.”  
  
“Yeah, but that time with the peryton—”  
  
“Hey, the peryton was just… unusually vicious. Usually they’re not that bad.”  
  
I hummed and put another book back into its place, thinking. Was he serious? Did he really think I could leave here? I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. He had no idea what I’d be leaving behind, and neither of us knew what was out there. People always brought back horror stories of whole adventuring parties going missing, except for one to spread the tales of horrible magic and horrible creatures. Sharp-toothed, knife-clawed terrors, ones that could fly higher than the clouds and dropped their prey to the ground below… the list was endless when it came to the Skyteeth, or really any area outside of the established cities.  
  
“Listen, Lee… I’m serious.” Luke put his hand on my shoulder; at the touch I jerked away. _How did you know I was doubting you?_ “You have a knack for this sort of stuff. You’ve always wanted to anyway, haven’t you? Remember when we were kids and you’d always come up with creatures you could find out there?”  
  
“I—” I paused, cutting myself off. I _did_ remember. In fact, I still had some of the drawings I’d made from that time— from when every part of the world was a sign of magic, from when everything was right with the world. “I can’t leave,” I said aloud. I turned away from Luke, still thinking hard. A heavy pause hung in the air. “I… I don’t think I can. People would notice I’d be gone. You, Ms. Gardeen… Mother.”  
  
“Hey, your mom needs to learn you’re your own person. Going away will prove it.”  
  
“I’m lucky she even lets me come here. Ms. Gardeen is the only reason I’m here without her.”  
  
“All the more reason to go, Lee!” Luke threw his hands in the air, then rested one on my shoulder again. This time, I didn’t flinch; the touch was gentler, and I was expecting it this time. “Listen… you can’t let your mother control you forever. I don’t particularly like her, so I’m probably biased, but hearing what she’s like to you just makes my blood boil. I’m glad Ms. Gardeen is here to protect you.”  
  
“Yeah,” I sighed. My heart hitched at the thought of a world without her. “I’m glad too.” I looked at the last book in my hands— _The Lore of Kaila the Silver_ — and put it back in its place. “I’m just… thinking, I guess. If I leave, I won’t have anyone or anything to help me.”  
  
Luke paused; his grip on my shoulder tightened by the slightest bit. “I… I’m not sure what to say to that.” He chuckled, an awkward twinge to his voice. “But you’re a clever girl. You’ll figure it out. I have faith!” He smiled a contagious grin at me; I felt myself smiling back.  
  
“My mother is probably wondering where I am.” I took a glance at the door; even though I knew Mother wouldn’t come at the mention of her, I still had that fear in the back of my mind. “I should be heading home.”  
  
“Yeah, I guess so. Want me to walk you there?”  
  
“You know she doesn’t like you. You have to leave before you get in sight of the house.” Despite my words, relief flooded me at Luke’s offer. _Now that I think about it, Luke’s always the one to walk me home…  
  
_ I went to the front of the library, where Ms. Gardeen watched the rest of the patrons. “I’m leaving now, ma’am. Thank you for having me all night.”  
  
“Oh, you can stay as long as you like, dearie. Don’t you worry!” She gave me a sweet smile, which I graciously returned. “See you soon, lovely.”  
  
“See you next time.” I turned to the door, and I heard Ms. Gardeen engage Luke exchange a few words— him being polite, as usual, and her gushing about how tall he had gotten. _So he hasn’t always been this tall. Hmm.  
  
_ I sat on a bench outside the library, watching the few people on the street. Everyone who passed me glanced me over, studying me as if I had something to offer. It had only been a few minutes of people-watching when Luke came outside and tapped on my shoulder. “Come on, we’re going now.”  
  
“All right, if you say so.”  
  
Dread began to fill my heart, more and more with each step I took towards home. Was it even home if I hated it so much? I shook my head, getting those thoughts away— wherever Mother was, it was home. Without her around to make it so, nowhere else could be home.  
  
I could feel Luke looking at me, but I didn’t pay him any mind. I steeled my face, though my heart hammered in my chest at the thought of where we headed.  
  
“Hey.” Luke stopped walking; out of instinct, I did too. “You’re never this anxious about going home. What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing’s _wrong,_ necessarily. This is just the first time I’ve been at the library overnight and Mother’s going to kill me and with all your talk of leaving I’m already wound up and when I think about it it’s a _great_ idea don’t get me wrong, but actually doing it is scarier than looking the queens in the eye and telling them to screw themselves, and if I actually did it my mom would hunt me down and kill me and—”  
  
“Okay, hey, whoa, slow down. Take it one thing at a time. Leaving is already on your nerves. Your mom is even more on your nerves. We deal with your mom first, you come back to Ms. Gardeen’s tonight, and we have tea and talk over leaving. Okay?”  
  
I took in a shaky breath, running my hand over my face, and nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m just… I’m scared.”  
  
“I know. I am, too.”  
  
“What?” The words startled me enough to make me pause. “You’re Luke. You’re never scared.”  
  
“Well… you’re going back home, and that usually ends poorly for you. ‘Cause your mom is a total control freak. I just worry when you go home, I guess.”  
  
“Well, let’s get it over with so you can stop worrying, all right?”  
  
“What a forthright attitude. That sounds like something I’d say.” Luke rolled his eyes, but grinned at me afterwards— his tell that he was only joking. “You know, pretty soon you’re gonna cut all your hair off to be like me, if this keeps up.”  
  
“What? No! I like my hair!” I laughed, disbelieving, and started walking again. “If anything, you would grow your hair out to be like mine!”  
  
We went back and forth until I got to the all-too-familiar road that led to home. I felt myself start to slow down, trying to make home as far away as possible. I could hear Luke talking, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking me— whose was it?  
  
“…Lee. Lee, can you hear me? You’re pale. Are you all right?” Luke was shaking me, I recognized, but I couldn’t respond. “Lee, we have to get you home now. When you get inside, take a nap or something— you need it. Okay?”  
  
I nodded, feeling weary at the mention of sleep. “All right… I’ll do that.” I looked at Luke again, feeling an odd twinge of despair. “Ms. Gardeen’s, tonight. At twilight. We have to talk about… about leaving.”

“I understand. I’ll be there. Good luck.” Luke patted my shoulder, then walked with me to the end of the road. He was careful to stay out of sight of the estate. It was quite difficult, seeing as it took up quite the large plot of land, but he always found a nice hiding spot. “You’ve got it from here. See you tonight.”  
  
I turned to watch him go, and against my better judgement, I called out to him. “Luke— wait, please.”  
  
At the sound of my voice, he stopped, and turned. “Hmm?”  
  
I stepped closer to him, then thought better of it, turning slightly away as I doubted myself. "Never mind. It wasn't important." I drew my arms close to myself, wrapping myself in a tight, almost painful embrace.  
  
He looked me over, a worried expression written on his face, though he didn't do anything about that worry. "All... all right, then. If anything happens before tonight, just let me know, all right?"  
  
I nodded again, still reluctant to see him go. Luke was my strength— I wanted him to stay— but Mother would never let me have him in her house. “I’ll see you tonight, then.”  
  
He turned and ambled off once more, his calm demeanor bleeding onto me. I felt almost tranquil, but my trembling hands and hammering heart made me feel otherwise. _He’s gone now. It’s time to be strong on my own._ I remembered all of the books I had read over the course of the night. There were ones of great courageous fey, of the courageous knights that made up the Guard, of the fey who had escaped them through quick wits and great strength. _But,_ I reminded myself, _times are different. Book bravery and real bravery are two different things.  
  
_ As I walked up to the house, I took my time walking up the path. _I wish this could be the last time I come home,_ I thought to myself. _No, don’t think that. This_ will _be the last time I walk this path. I won’t be here for much longer._

I felt a bolt of courage strike through me. I picked my chin up and strode to the door, opening it quietly.


	2. Village

Mother was waiting for me in the sunroom. Her entire posture was calm and collected; her legs crossed at the knee, and her wrists rested atop them. Her face was as if she had been carved from stone. “Well, welcome home. Up late at Ms. Gardeen’s, were we?”

“Yes, Mother, I’m sorry.”

“If you were truly sorry, you wouldn’t have done it again.”

“Again?”

Mother stood, her thin frame towering over me. “You did this two years ago, don’t you remember? You’re lucky Hilda will watch you while you do your little research excursions. This isn’t about your weird dreams again, is it? If I take you to the doctor for it, he’ll throw you into the asylum with the other crazies.” Mother didn’t make it sound like a concerned statement; it sounded almost flippant, as though it were a casual threat. “And then you’ll never get to see me again, will you? You don’t want that.”

“No, Mother. I haven’t had one of those dreams in a while.” Lying to Mother was second nature by now; it was far easier than telling the truth. “Though I am kind of tired, so if you’ll excuse me—”

“Oh, _now_ you’re tired,” she snapped. “Fine then, go to sleep!”

“I’m sorry, Mother—”

“Don’t you listen? I said, if you’re truly sorry, you won’t do it again. And if you’ve done it before, you’ll do it again. You’re not sorry. You’ll do it again the first chance you get.”

Normally, by this point in the discussion, I would just be sad or upset— today was different. Whether it was the courage that had struck me earlier, or the thought that I might get out from under her grasp soon, I wasn’t upset at all. Instead of my usual despair, I felt _angry_. “And what if I do?” I retorted.

“Then I lock you in your room and feed you through the space underneath your door until you die.” Mother’s eyes bore holes into me; a frown tugged at the corners of her lips; her tone was flat and ungiving. “You know what?” The frown that had just played across her face disappeared in face of a wicked smile. “Why don’t I just do that now?” She stepped towards me, reaching her hands for my face and arms.

“No!” I shrieked, batting her hands away. “No, you can’t—”

She began to laugh and stepped away from me. “You know I would never do that to you, dumpling. You’re safe with me.”

“I… I am. I’m sorry, Mother.”

“Stop apologizing and go sleep.”

Not one to pass up this opportunity, I walked upstairs, growing more sluggish with each step. I rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and opened the door to my room, at last… the familiar bed greeted me, the crystals and art that decorated my room all so familiar… how could I ever leave this? I flopped onto my bed, not even taking the time to change into other clothes, and fell into a deep sleep.

───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────

I woke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. I had dreamed a strange dream, though the more I tried to recall it, the further it faded away. But from what I could remember, a yellow dragon like the one from my last sleep, if not the same one, had kept me company through the day…

I sat up in my bed, throwing my blanket off me, and went to the glass doors at the far end of the room. The cold oak floor under my feet shocked me fully awake. Sunlight streamed into the room, golden-orange and warm where it touched, the perfect compliment to the pale brown walls of my room. It nearly blinded me, but I blinked a few times to see outside again. As I looked through the glass, I saw the city bathed in warm light, the last vestiges of the sun before night fell. I felt reminded of Luke— not just because of our meeting shortly, but because of how brightly he burned and how warm he was. I wondered what he was doing now— what had he done while I slept, also?

I walked to my closet and selected better clothes for being around the house. I couldn’t help but ponder the dream— why had this one faded so quickly? Had it been the doing of the dragon?

Neroli.

The name popped into my head, though somehow, I knew it was the dragon’s name. It had almost come in what I assumed to be his voice. _The dragon’s name is Neroli._

What would Luke say when I told him the dragon— no, Neroli— had returned? He had never called me crazy for them, but he didn’t fully believe in me when I talked about them, either. Nobody understood them except me, and even my own knowledge ran thin with them.

I picked out a comfortable outfit— something Mother would love to see me wearing. It was just a simple navy blue dress; the sleeves went to my wrists, and the hem went to my ankles.I walked out of my room, quietly closing the door behind me, and went downstairs.

Mother was waiting for me at the dining room table. In front of her was a plate, filled to the brim with food, and the same was across the table from her. “Come, my precious, eat. You’ve slept all day. You must be starving.” As she eyed me, I saw a small smile make its way across her face. _So she does like to see me wearing this dress. How nice._

“I—” _I don’t want_ your _food,_ I wanted to say, but that would be a terrible mistake. “I am hungry,” I said aloud. “Thank you for preparing a plate for me.” I walked down the rest of the stairs and stepped into the dining room, feeling myself grow tense the closer I got to Mother. I didn’t want to eat with her— I never did— but I didn’t have a choice.

Like usual, I was able to force the food into my mouth and down my throat. It was a lavish dinner— a rich steak, thick and fatty; a cob of fresh corn; a bowl of cut apple slices— though with Mother around, and all my focus on her, I couldn’t enjoy it. The flavor of what would have been a wonderful meal was lost on me. I only wanted to get it over with.

“Slow down, dumpling, you’ll choke if you eat too quickly.” Mother had a good portion of food left on her plate, unlike what little was left on mine. “Ah, well. You’re almost done, anyway. Hopefully you don’t get a stomachache later… and if you did, I’d have to take care of you. Wouldn’t I?”

“Yes, I suppose you would.” Purposefully, I ate slightly slower, trying to dissuade her from thinking I’d be sick tonight. Even if I was, I’d want Martha to care for me, not her. Martha was better at taking care of anything than she was. The only reason that the violets and lavenders outside had thrived for so long was because of Martha. If her loyalty wouldn't lie with Mother, she and Ms. Gardeen would be top pick for the most trustworthy women in Anashad.

Mother was Mother.

I stood, taking my plate to the other room, and another bolt of reckless courage struck me— _I could leave right now, while she’s eating, and nobody would notice._ _Well… Martha would._ I stopped walking, my footsteps still ringing off the walls. _I need things from my room. I need to go back before I leave. I’m lucky it’s upstairs— with the balcony, I could leave through the other doors if I had to._ I looked out the kitchen window, thinking, and started to walk again.

Martha met me in the kitchen, where she took my plate and cutlery, telling me not to worry about washing them. I thanked her and turned away, heading for the stairs. I was lucky enough not to have to walk past Mother once again to go to my room. I went upstairs, my hopes rising with each step I took. _This will be the second-to-last time I walk these stairs, if not the last. I need to leave tonight. I can’t stand another day in this house. Even if it’s only to Ms. Gardeen’s I_ have _to go away._

I rounded the corner to my room, and as soon as I saw it, I knew something was wrong. The door was open once again. There was someone sitting on my bed, too, and nobody went into my room, except me and…

“Hello again, Mother.”

“Hello, my dumpling!” She cradled one of my crystals in her hands— my biggest, most precious amethyst— as she spoke to me. “So… you’ve been acting strange lately. Who’s been talking to you?”

My heart pounded in my chest, but I managed not to show my alarm. “What do you mean, I’m acting strange?”

“You’ve been more distant.” Mother inspected the amethyst as though she were measuring its worth. “And you’ve been spending more time at Ms. Gardeen’s over the last few weeks. I’m lucky she tells me you’re always there, and not elsewhere. If you were… no more going outside for you.”

A lightning bolt of indignance scorched my soul. _You can’t do that. I’ll fight tooth and nail to get out of your clutches._ “W—well, I just like to read. I’m sure there’s only one or two books in that library I’ve yet to read. And Ms. Gardeen does make good tea…” I trailed off under Mother’s withering gaze, knowing this wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“You aren’t going to leave this house for a week. Nobody will be here for you except Martha, and I will tell Ms. Gardeen what you’ve done. We will be… bonding with each other this week.” A wicked smile crossed her face, as though she took pleasure in doing this— but surely she couldn’t. This was only for my own good.

“Yes, Mother, it will be a good experience. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

“Yes, you will. And, just so you know, Martha will be posted outside your door. She’ll bring you food and water if you need it.”

“Thank you for telling me, Mother.”

Thankfully, she left soon after, and I heard Martha’s heavy footsteps come down the stairs to my room.The glass doors at my back already had their curtains drawn, and Mother shut the door behind her. I was wide awake, unlike her and Martha, seeing as I’d slept through the day… all I had to do was wait.

─────⋆✩⋆ ─────

It took some time for the torches to die down in the hallway outside. The glow from under the door faded, and everything was plunged into darkness; however, the light faded slow enough that my eyes adjusted to the dark. Martha was asleep, and I could only hope Mother was, as well.

The first thing I did was change out of that dreadful dress. There was too much fabric to it; it would only hinder me in my quest away from this place. I swapped into some more comfortable clothes— a light blue henley shirt and some brown trousers. _Mother never likes when I wear a boy’s outfit, but she buys me the clothes anyway…_

I grabbed the bag I’d brought to Ms. Gardeen’s— a large, olive-green backpack— and began to gather a few of the things I knew I’d want, keeping as quiet as I could. The obvious things came first: the bestiary I’d studied religiously ever since I’d gotten it; the amethyst Mother had held; a few sets of clean clothes, including a thick jacket; a medium-sized knife that I’d accidentally stolen from Luke.

I studied the knife, looking at the etching on the blade. I remembered how I’d taken it from him as a joke, and we’d laughed, and then I’d never given it back. The next day, when we met again, I ended up telling him, and he’d told me to keep it, even though I tried to give it back. He even gave me its matching sheath. It had been a struggle to keep it hidden from Mother, but I’d managed it.

I grabbed a few more things— a waterskin, a few candles, a small mirror, a strike-a-light— and put it all into my bag, hoping the clinking of metal on crystal wouldn’t give me away. If I listened to the house outside my room, nothing was moving; Martha was snoring peacefully, and I couldn’t hear Mother.

Martha was dangerous. I didn’t know where her loyalties lay; she was nice enough to me, but she always told Mother if I was up to something. I had to hope she wasn’t awake to see me leave.

I pulled on my sturdiest boots, the ones I used to go hiking in the hilly forests on the outskirts of town. These were my best shoes; I wasn’t going to be stupid enough to leave them behind.

I tried the door. The handle didn’t budge.

My heart began to race as I tried it again, then again and again. _She locked it. From the outside, obviously. So she could keep me here, to make sure I wouldn’t leave, to make sure I would stay here with her, so that I wouldn’t—_ I cut myself off from my internal gibbering, trying to calm myself. _There’s got to be a way for me to get the door unlocked._ I looked to the curtains at my right, drawn over the doors leading to the balcony. _Actually, I don’t even need this door._

I walked to the side of the room, pushing the curtains aside with a dramatic flourish of fabric. I tried the handles to the door; as I’d assumed they’d be, they were locked. Feeling my way across the top of the doorframe didn’t show any sign of the key to these doors, either. I sighed, taking the amethyst Mother had inspected earlier out of my bag; this amethyst would be what helped me escape Mother’s clutches. I tossed it lightly in my hand a few times, biting my lip in anticipation.

The noise was sudden, but the broken glass falling from the doorframes was more jarring than the sound. It almost looked like snow, though I knew it would hurt like stinging bees if I got even a little bit on me. My heart raced as I heard Martha start outside my room, and something stirred on the other side of the house— Mother’s side of the house. I could hear her light footsteps coming to my wing of the estate.

Without hesitation, I strode out onto the balcony, the cool night air dancing on my skin. The moon shone bright, the clouds crossing her hardly dimming her light, and the stars twinkled around her. I had no time to enjoy stargazing, though; I was on the run, far away from Mother.

I stole a glance over my shoulder; the door handle still wouldn’t budge. I recalled the many, many times Mother had brought me in the room and had the lock jam. _I never thought that would work in my favor._ I walked to the railing of the balcony, the smooth stone cool under my touch, and I swept myself up on the railing, then back down onto the underside of the balcony floor. The ground seemed far away, though I knew it wouldn’t be as far as I thought it was.

I was terrified, more terrified than anything to let go, but I forced myself to anyway. I felt myself falling through the air for what felt like an eternity before I hit the ground again, and it hit me hard enough that I lost my breath for a moment. It was a strange feeling, but a feeling I could tolerate. I picked the amethyst up out of the grass and put it back in my bag. Just to be sure I wouldn’t be in any more danger, I took the knife out of my pocket, worming it out of its sheath, just in case Mother managed to catch me.

I started to hobble off, though the longer I limped, the more I was able to walk, and then run. I looked back at the balcony as I left the estate on the long road to the edge of the property; the moonlight illuminated Mother, standing on the balcony, showing her high cheekbones and her crazy eyes. Wind picked up and thrashed her hair around her face. She looked at me— no, not at me, _through_ me— and an expression of malevolent joy crossed her face. It terrified me; it gave me motivation to not just run, but sprint my way away from here, away forever.

I hadn’t realized it, but there was a layer of rain on the stones underfoot. My foot caught an uneven one, and my balance shifted, though I caught myself on the white fence at my side. I looked back at the balcony as I stood again, and I could no longer see the dark-haired woman who had stood there moments before. _Oh, for the love of— this is just great. Any second now…_

I picked up my pace, still trying to catch my breath, and I rounded the corner of the estate, trying to think quickly. _I know this city better than she does. I know every nook and cranny I can hide from her. She knows nothing about this place, this town, this place I call home— she never leaves the estate._

I managed to get myself to a sprint, my heart pounding not just out of fear anymore. I couldn’t keep this pace up for long, but I knew where to go. Up ahead, closer now, and closer— I took a hard right, my feet slipping on the rocks in the road once more, and started running again. It had grown dark— a billowing cloud covered the moon and blotted out her light— and that shroud protected me from sight. My footsteps gave me away still.A few more paces, and then I took a hard left, feeling myself brush against the wall on my right.

I found myself growing weary very quickly— my breathing grew ragged, and my pace began to slow, but too much was at stake to fall back. I pushed myself on, every part of my body burning, my legs growing number with each strike against the ground…

As I rounded the next corner, I realized too late I’d miscalculated when to slow down. I slammed into the wall, the rough surface grinding on my skin, though it stung more than it scraped. I stifled my cry of pain, managing to get it down to a low hiss. Despite it all, my fear of Mother and the adrenaline pumping through my body fueled me on, and I stumbled away from the wall, taking a familiar path. By this point, I couldn’t even remember where it led to. A left, then a right, and then straight…

“Lee!”

At the sound of my name, and the sound of the voice that had said it, I began to slow down. It was too dangerous to fully stop. The voice was familiar, was that of a friend, I thought, though I couldn’t be sure. Perhaps it was only my hoping that it was him…

“Lee!”

His voice rattled in my head again, my name echoing in my ears. I slowed even more, looking in the direction it had come from. Surely, it couldn’t be…

Someone approached me. It looked like Luke, though it couldn’t be him. This person’s hair was cut too short, and he was too toned to be Luke. “By the queens! What happened to you, youngling?”

“Who— who are you?” I choked out, my throat raw after my run.

“I’m… someone who’ll help you. Who are _you,_ hmm? Lee, right? Luke told me to keep an eye out for you, and aren’t you lucky I did!” He flashed a smile, just as Luke would. _Either he has a doppelgänger, or an older brother— these two are too similar not to be related._ “Long-haired brunette with the pale skin, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me I guess.” _I’m not that pale, am I? And who are you, anyway? You never answered my question._ “So what’s got you all worried about me?”

“A girl is running past our house raising Hell, and Luke told me to be on the lookout for a girl. Even if you weren’t her, I’d be wondering who’s out at midnight. But you are that girl, so… come on.” Not-Luke beckoned to me, motioning for me to follow him.

“Excuse me? What? No, not until you tell me who you are. At the very least, tell me your name.” I wanted to cross my arms, but when I went to bend them, it stung in all sorts of places. “And can we hurry this up? I’ve got someone hunting me down.”

“Ugh— fine. But only ‘cause you’re Luke’s friend.” Not-Luke ran a hand over his face. “Okay, so. I’m Luke’s older brother. My name is—”

A pressure at the back of my collar seemed to cut him off as he gaped behind me. I couldn’t see who it was, but from the feel of the hand, I knew instinctively. _“So. You never did stop talking to that street rat.”_

A chill ran through me as I quietly grabbed the knife’s hilt, sure to keep it in my pocket until the right time. “Of course not.”

“Come on. You’re going home.”

The hand dragged me back, and I lost my footing, though only for a moment. In one quick move, I spun around, taking Mother off her balance as well.

The knife split her arm open beautifully. It was like cutting through paper. From her elbow to her palm, a red-laden seam opened on her flesh, terrible crimson clashing against the pale white of her skin. Blood dribbled onto the wet cobblestones underfoot; Mother looked at her arm, trembling, then at me. Pure rage contorted her face into that of a demon’s. “You _bitch!_ ” She roared, reaching for me with her good arm.

I stepped aside, and she threw herself forward into the dirt and rocks underfoot. I looked to not-Luke, who I realized had watched this all unravel, and he met my eyes; he seemed oddly unperturbed. “So. I’m assuming this is the person who hunted you down?”

I put my foot square in Mother’s back as she howled and thrashed under my weight. “Yeah. This is her. Anyways, tell Luke I’m off to the south, to the Beyond.” I looked down at Mother; she was thrashing and screaming so that I could hardly hear myself. I looked back to not-Luke and pantomimed that I was not, in fact, going south to the Beyond— quite the opposite, in fact. I was headed to the north, for any city I could find. “So, if he wants to meet me down there, with the merfolk, then tell him to pack his bags.”

“All right, I’ll be sure to let him know,” not-Luke replied hesitantly. He looked to Mother again, then back at me, and went back the way he had come. _I wish I'd caught his name,_ I thought to myself, cringing inwardly at myself for not getting that answer.

Mother thrashed under my weight still, though she was growing weaker; she didn’t stand much of a chance against me, seeing as she was always inside, and I outside, doing things and seeing people. I leaned close to her face to peer into her unfocused eyes. “Find me in the south. See what the merfolk tell you.”

I took my boot off her back and walked calmly to the north, unsure of what I’d find, but knowing it’d be better than here.


	3. Journey

I felt a yawn coming as I walked; the full moon had nearly set by this point, and I was well on my way out of town. _I’m tired, but I can’t stop walking yet. I have to wait until then. Even if I collapse on the way there, it’d be better than stopping of my own accord._

The only sound around me was wind rustling the wet leaves on their branches. Soon, those leaves would be frozen— autumn was upon us, and not long after would follow winter. I could only hope I found a place to stay by then, or somehow found a way to keep warm.

 _The strike-a-light! That’ll be a fine tool if I’m stuck in the woods._ I felt relieved knowing I’d have a way to start fire without needing to steal from someone. That wouldn’t end well for anyone, had I forgotten it.

As I walked, I looked around; I couldn’t see anything except the rising sun in the east, though I could hear something like the heavy gait of an animal. _I might be robbed— that is, if this rider is one._ The strange noise came only closer. I still could not see what was making the noise, though I could hear the heavy breathing of an animal and a soft, feminine voice, speaking at times. I couldn’t make out what she said, no matter how I strained my ears.

As she rode closer, I felt myself growing tense. I could only hope this person wouldn’t try to hurt me… The strange noise came only closer, as did the voice. I tensed even more.

Finally, I saw the horse and its rider crest the hill— the creature was beautiful, with a flowing black mane and an elegant gloss over its fur. As the sun crested the Skyteeth in the east, it lit the horse and rider with an almost ethereal aura, golden light shining over the pair. The horse’s black coat gleamed; its hooves were polished to an almost mirror-like sheen.

The rider was beautiful, in a strange sort of way. She reminded me of the pictures I’d seen of the queens, but she made me think of the forests and wilds, too. She reminded me of a forest princess in a way. Her beautiful brown hair, the shade of fawn fur, was tied in a braid, swinging to her sides with the rock of the horse’s gait. Her ears— her ears poked out from the sides of her head, pointed and elegant.

_An elf!_

By this time, the elf had ridden close enough to see me, and she slowed her horse to hardly a walk. She peered over the animal’s neck at us, blinking as though she was trying to dispel of a dream. “Well, hello, youngling. You’re in rough shape. Where are you off to?” Her voice was light and airy— _beautiful_ was the only word I could conjure to describe her.

“We— I— _I_ am headed for the north. Yourself?” _I’m so used to Luke being with me, I can’t even talk like I’m on my own._

“The only thing up north is Nadjahad, youngling, the biggest town you’ll find for miles.” The elf looked back the way she had come, her face framed in golden-brown hair. “And I’m off to Anashad, then to the south.”

“I’ve just come from there. And… there might be a few people there looking for me, so… if they ask you about me, you don’t know where I’ve gone.”

“And why’s that?”

“Um—” I hoped to say something about Mother, but my voice came out as hardly a squeak at the thought. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Um. I… might or might not be on the run. Mother isn’t too happy about it.”

“Ah, a runaway. I remember those days…” She paused, her expression wistful, as though she were recalling her past. “Anyways.” She steeled her face again, looking back at me. “What’s in it for me if I cover your tracks?”

I dug around in my bag, knowing it would be in here— there! I pulled the satchel free of the other things around it, and undid the string holding it shut, hoping to find something worth giving her. After sorting through the things in the satchel, I produced something she would want. “Here. A gold piece, all yours, if you cover for me.”

The elf eyed the piece suspiciously. “You’d give me a week’s wages to make sure nobody knows where you are?” It seemed her suspicion ebbed as she spoke. “Give it here, girl. I could use the extra padding to my pockets.”

“Here.” I pressed the coin into her palm. “All yours. Just don’t tell them where I’ve gone. Better yet, tell them I’ve gone to the East.”

“Ah, but then they’ll think you’d gone off with a death wish. You know how the King is to Western younglings like you.”

“I do?” At the expression on her face, I added, “I— I mean, I do, yes. That wouldn’t be good. So… tell them I went south, or something…”

“I know what I’ll say, girl. It does feel disrespectful to call you that, though if I asked your name I might slip up and give you away. So what shall I call you?”

“You can call me Lain,” I replied. _That’s a terrible name— everyone will know who I am,_ I thought to myself, cringing inwardly as I spoke. _But,_ I tried to soothe myself, _it’s sort of poetic, too. It’s like the old me was “lain” to rest. This isn’t the Layth that everyone in Anashad knew._

“Good. For a gold piece, Lain, you have my service. If we cross paths again, I will tell you where they’ve gone in search for you.” The elf dipped her head and spurred her horse on at a canter past me.

Until I couldn’t see her anymore, until my heart stopped racing, I watched her leave, and then I began to walk again. _I suppose I’m good at dealing with people. How surprising._

As I walked, I scanned my surroundings once again. There was an open field to the right of me, and a forest in the distance, wrapping around to meet the trees on my left. It was far enough away that I might have been imagining it, but I thought I saw a house on the line of trees. The sun caught the treetops, highlighting the leaves with a golden glow, though if I kept looking to the east, my eyes would begin to hurt.

As I walked, I thought— mostly about Neroli. It seemed I couldn’t _not_ think about him ever since he had begun to appear to me. _It’s probably something to do with the dreams. But the dreams are just dreams. I can’t even differentiate between a dream and_ those _dreams. I know nothing about them— nothing about Neroli. How could they be connected, except for the part where both the dreams and Neroli keep coming back? None of my other dreams come back… none except him._

 _Besides, why choose me, of everyone out there, to be the person to save him? He’s a dragon. Why can’t he save himself? I_ am _going to save him— but I have to wonder why he needs a weak child’s help for this._

The walk was long and tiring; the sun rose high in the sky. Bugs chattered in the trees, though that was soon drowned out by the shrill of birds in the forest. A smokestack came from the far side of the fiend ( _so there_ was _a house there_ ). A breeze rustled the tall grass and the leaves, sending dewdrops cascading down on me.

The world was so _beautiful._ I had never seen anything like this before.

As I listened to the forest, I heard another noise— something like the elf and her horse, but it seemed there were more this time. There were many, far too many. _This isn’t good. I need to hide._

As I went to the side of the path, crossing through the grass, I listened harder than I had before. There were at least three horses, from what I could tell, or perhaps four or five. There was a voice speaking, deep and rough. _So there’s at least one man there. I’m screwed._

By this time I had made it to the trees, and I was well hidden by shrubbery on the forest floor and thick trunks of the trees. I crouched low to hide behind the foliage, and I peeked overtop the dense leaves of the shrubs, trying to see the riders as they approached.

Two horses came first— the closest deep brown, and the one on the far side a dull grey. Their manes had been cut short, and unlike the elf’s horse, they wore strange equipment, wrapping around their heads and through their mouths. It looked as though it would be very uncomfortable.

The riders were tall, strange-looking people. The one on the brown horse was a dull copper color. The other rider wore a heavy suit of armor, so that I couldn’t see any of his skin. He bore a banner with a symbol on it, like a dragon’s talon holding a strange sphere.

The two behind the first seemed to be pale-skinned humans. They both wore armor, though it seemed lighter than the person holding the banner. I could see that one had tied up her long hair; the other looked as though he had no hair. Unlike the first horses, these two had no equipment on theirs, and they were each a rich red-brown. Their manes hung over the sides of their necks, flowing in the breeze.

Suddenly, the armored person, stopped his horse; the other three followed suit, the horses stamping as though they wanted to keep going. The armored man said something I couldn’t hear to the copper person, and he dismounted his horse, handing the reins to the armored man. He looked left, and then right; my heart sped up, feeling as though he would see me if I moved even the slightest bit. I ducked behind the bush while he scanned the area, hoping he hadn’t seen me.

I heard footsteps come closer— heavy and dull, pressing the wet gravel underfoot into the soft ground. My heart hitched in my throat as I thought of what this man was going to do to me. If he dared to try to hurt me… I wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him back.

A shadow stopped the sunlight from reaching me. I looked up, hesitating all the while, and I saw something strange— the man looked like a dragon on two legs! He looked like Neroli, almost… or perhaps that was just my hopeful imagination, putting a kind heart to one that could easily be rotten and hateful.

“I found ‘er, sire!”

My heart stopped as those four words left the strange man’s mouth.

“Sire, she’s right here!” The voice was strange; it sounded like a boy’s, though he spoke with a posh accent, which somehow made him seem matured. It hurt my mind to listen to him.

 _I should do what he says,_ I thought to myself, bracing for him to hurt me. _I can’t get away._

I heard the strange noise of the horses’ hooves on the soft ground, approaching us, and I heard the chatter between the armored person and the dragon-man.

“What did you find, Balinor?”

“The youngling, the one the lass told us about! The brunette! And she told us she should be all beat up… and that’s what she is!”

_Who in the world told these guys, of all people, about me?_

“Hmm. Well, let’s have a look. Come on, up you come.”

Something grabbed me at the back of my neck, latching onto the collar of my shirt and hauling me to a standing position. The shrubs hardly hid me now.

The armored person approached; he took off his helmet and shook out his hair, the thick black strands framing his face. He was riddled with scars; the pale lines clashed with the warm brown of his skin. He held the helmet at the side, propping it between his hip and his arm. “Well, well, well. What have we here?” His tone reminded me of Mother— that was dangerous. If he made any sudden moves… I gripped the knife in my pocket tighter, slowly slipping it out of its sheath once more. _This man will_ not _bring me back to Mother. I will go back of my own accord, and that day will come when the world ends._

“Like I said, the youngling the lass told us to look for,” said the copper dragon-man. “Look at her!” He reached for my head, and I jumped back, not letting him touch me. “I mean— look, sire, she’s got that brown hair, just like the other lass said, the shade of mahogany.”

I looked between the two unfamiliar men, trying to figure out what they wanted from me. _Are they going to bring me back? Kill me? Kidnap me? What do they plan with me? Oh, I should never have left, not without Luke…_

“What do you want from me?” I asked, pushing all my other thoughts aside.

“We’re looking for a girl who looks awfully like you. The woman who set us out said her name was—” I shut his voice out as he spoke, not wanting to hear the name that Mother had chosen for me. “And,” the armored man went on, “she said the girl would be headed for the Beyond down south… but you’re headed north. So was she mistaken?” He unsheathed the sword on his right hip, pressing the tip into my throat. He tilted it so that the flat of the blade lifted my chin. “Either you’re not the one we’re looking for, or you just threw her off your trail. So, what’s the truth?”

I looked at the armored man, then to the dragon-man. I knew neither of them. Why were they after me? The more I thought, the faster my mind raced, the more something welled up in me. It reminded me of how a rabbit might feel, knowing it was being hunted by a fox, being trapped in its burrow, and knowing that when it went out again its neck would be snapped up in the fox’s hungry jaws. I was also reminded, knowing how fast rabbits were, of the possibility to run. _But I’m not supposed to run,_ I thought. _T_ _hese people want to help me. They want to keep me safe. If they want to keep me safe, they wouldn’t have a sword in my neck right now. What am I supposed to do?_

“Hey! Where the—“ I hadn’t even realized it, but I was running, faster and faster, the men falling behind. The shrubs rustled at their heavy footsteps, a dull _clank-clank-clank_ shaking the ground underfoot.

My heart sped up, already accommodating my sprint. I drowned out the sounds around me, focusing only on what I could see, and followed an imaginary path through the woods. There were leaves underfoot, threatening to throw me off-balance if I hit a slippery patch, though they colored the ground with bright oranges and yellows and reds. A sharp left, a right— and then I was back on the road, behind the horses, over the crest of the hill I was originally headed for.

Footsteps came over the other side of the hill, then hooves pounding against the gravel. Furious shouting came with the tremors growing closer. I managed to get myself off the path, though I was just barely out of sight before a guttural, rage-filled cry filled the air— _“Get her!”_

I wove through the forest, going parallel to the worn path. Hooves beating the gravel path at my side filled my ears; low branches whipped at my face; brambles caught my ankles. I didn’t notice it in time to avoid it, but a root caught me as I sprinted, sending me tumbling to the ground. I hissed as I rolled, my whole body lighting on fire, my cuts and wounds from escaping Mother’s house being reopened. _How much longer will I have to go?_ I scrambled upright, leaves crunching under my hands and knees, trying to get a grip on the damp dirt under me.

I kept running, my legs burning from overexertion, my lungs and throat going raw. I continued through the forest, which dropped away before I could see where it led— the short cliff dropped into a grassy field, the browning blades taller than me. I tumbled to the ground, my legs giving out from under me, though I quickly hauled myself up and continued through the dry grass. I could hear the men still off to my left, the hooves of the horses still hitting the ground, catching up to me as I ran. They slowed, and so did I; if I listened, I could hear creatures all around me in the grass, bigger than me. As I stopped completely, I focused entirely on what I could hear. My vision was obscured; it would have done no good to try and see anything.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._ Slow and rhythmic, big hooves hit the ground, crushing the grass underfoot. I crouched low, drawing my knife once again, trying to calm my breathing. A snorting sound filled the air; a head, as big as my upper half, loomed over the grassy field, scanning the area with bleak eyes.

_A moose? I didn’t know we got those this far south._

The moose lifted its head, turning in the direction of the men and horses. I couldn’t sense any change in its behavior as it watched them approach, but I did feel the hoofbeats of another, equally big creature, approaching us all.

A large bull, his antlers large and bared at the first, barreled across the path and into the grass, bellowing an earthshaking cry. The first moose pricked his ears and raised his hackles at the sight of the second, his eyes narrow slits. In a flash, the two collided in the middle of the path, their antlers locked, grunting and snarling at each other. I was paralyzed with fear, not knowing where they would go next, my vision obscured by the grass even after it had all been trampled.

The horses stamped their feet into the ground, their shrill neighs filling the air. The men yelped and shouted, speaking to the animals to try to get them under control, though I didn’t know how well it would work with the warring moose right in front of them. I couldn’t even tell what I was supposed to do— I had never seen a moose in the real world, much less two, and now they were fighting in front of me for some reason! I wasn’t sure of what to do; I was paralyzed by my fear.

A hand grabbed me by the shoulder, drawing me up from my crouched position, pulling me away from the fight and the mercenaries. I yelped at the touch, but another hand muffled the sound, covering my mouth. The shock of the cold of his palm drew my attention away from the unfolding situation.

“Shh,” the stranger hissed in my ear. “As long as you’re quiet, they won’t hurt you.” This voice was familiar. _This is no stranger,_ I thought, but I couldn’t be sure until I saw his face. “We’ll get to the forest on the other side of this field, and then we’ll be free to the north. Sound good?”

I tried to turn to see who this was, so that I could be sure of him, but he held my face so that I couldn't turn my head. I nodded into his hand, still unable to speak. My heart was beating wildly at this predicament; I was unsure of what to do or think.

“All right then, nearly there now… I’m going to let you go now, but please be as quiet as you possibly can.” Sure enough, the coolness of his palm faded from my face, the cool autumn air feeling harsh against my face once more.

We walked slowly across the grass field, stopping every few steps as there were rustles through the grass. On occasion, the rustling had come from a creature; at one point, a doe and her fawns walked in front of us, the little ones meekly following her as she crossed our path. It was strange, seeing so many wild animals in such a short amount of time, especially ones so drastically different from each other.

The far end of the field grew closer and closer, and eventually my strange friend and I were able to make it all the way across. The short cliff, if it could even be called that, hung over the field a bit, the stone slick from morning dew.

“I’m going to give you a boost to get up there,” said the hooded figure, “and then I’m going to need your help to pull me up, too. Do you think you can do that?”

I nodded wordlessly, knowing full well I wasn’t very strong and that I would probably fail him. _But I’m going to damn well try,_ I thought to myself, feeling my heart speed up at the words.

“All right. If you’ll allow me…” He trailed off, kneeling down in front of me, holding out his hands, his fingers laced. After an awkward moment of silence, I realized he was trying to create a foothold for me to get up the short cliff. “Go on, I promise you won’t hurt me.”

Hesitantly, I placed a foot on his hand, putting more weight on it when he didn’t budge. I put a hand on the stone to keep my balance, though that didn’t last long when this stranger pushed me up onto the cliff. My lower half hung over the side, sliding down a bit, but my upper half was there enough that I could pull myself up. After a few agonizing moments, I was fully on the edge of the forest once more, caked in mud and dirt.

I turned around, looking down at the hooded figure, and he pulled the hood further down, so that I still couldn’t see his face. He reached out to me, and I grabbed his hand, holding on and pulling him up to the best of my ability. He scrambled up the rocks, somehow finding a foothold where I hadn’t been able to, and brought himself up the rest of the way, towering over me.

I immediately looked away from him— he was too tall; the perspective reminded me of Mother. I was so, so afraid that she would somehow show up at the very thought of her and tear me away from this outside world. I drew in a shaky breath, standing up again, leaning on a nearby tree to regain my balance. “So… You really are…”

The stranger drew his hood back, revealing Luke’s face.


End file.
